Take it Back!

This week we will not only finish out the year, but we will finish out a decade!

Business Question of the Week: With the holiday shopping season winding down, many people are now returning items to stores or online vendors. Do you have a return/refund policy? How do you keep this process simple for your customers and yourself?

General Question of the Week: As a customer, what issues about return policies frustrate you the most? Some stores require you to have the receipt, some require a return to occur within a certain time span (30 days, 90 days), some add a restocking fee, and on and on.

Remember for Entwined Community members, each comment that is posted on BigTentwill give you one entry for a $25 gift certificate to Trends in Twos! This contest closes on December 31st at midnight PST and comments must be entered on BigTent to count as entries.

Photo credit (Flickr user Stevendepolo)

Remembering to Say Thanks

During this time of year, there are many things to be thankful for - family, good health, employment, friends, and maybe a gift or two. While we feel thankful, we may forget to take the time to send a note of our appreciation. December 26th is National Thank You Note Day, so this is a good time to refresh yourself on the fine art of thank you notes.

Throughout history, people have sent notes of appreciation. The Chinese and Egyptians would exchange notes of goodwill on pieces of papyrus. As paper become more available to the general public, the popularity of hand written notes increased. The invention of postage stamps in the 1840's allowed individuals to send notes and cards to anyone, not unlike the much later introduction of electronic cards (ecards) which are a popular today.

Yvonne and Yvette Durant are identical twin sisters and etiquette activists. Yvonne took a few minutes out of her day to answer a few thank you note questions for us.

EC: When is a thank you note necessary?

YD: A thank you note is necessary when someone has done something for you such as - invited you to an event, a dinner, a party, and always if they've paid for the evening. (I would leave out boyfriends, girlfriends and family if they are not distant.) Thank you notes are also in order if someone sent a sympathy card or note to you.

EC: Should I send a hand written or email thank you note?

YD: Handwritten is the best. Everyone should have a box of note cards in their home and young people should be urged to write them. Recently, I wrote an email of thanks but added "Before I entrust my gratefulness to the US Postal System, I just want you to know what a great time we had." A day later, I sent a note. This may be overkill, but go with your gut. We know that email is the way of the world these days and an email thanks is better than none. But, there is nothing like the power of paper and ink. You will be remembered for that.

EC: What about thank you's in the workplace?

YD: A thank you note after an interview is a good thing to do. In the workplace, there could be more gratitude so if someone has done above and beyond their job to help you, a thank you note is great. Of course, one would prefer their boss to thank them in the paycheck, but that is a whole other subject.

Entwined Community wants to thank you for supporting twin/multiples owned businesses! We hope that you have a safe and happy holiday with your family and friends.

About Yvonne and Yvette Durant: Yvonne is a freelance writer and copywriter by trade and has written numerous articles for major newspapers and magazines. She now blogs on the HuffPost. Yvette is an executive assistant and had her own personal shopping business wherein she worked for high end clients and learned a lot of the do's and dont's. She loves the art world, collects, and is a fan of classical dance. They were born and reared in Brooklyn. In their household, manners were required. Talking about thank you notes rings a bell for them - they've had stationery since they started writing, and still freshen their stationery wardrobe when they are low on supplies. Visit their website, Yvonne and Yvettetiquette: Modern Manners for the 21st Century.

Photo credit (Fund Forward)

Holiday Cocktails - This Post Has Moved

This post has moved! Please find it at our new blog here.

Entwined Community 2011 Editorial Calendar

Are you a twin or more, or the parent of multiples? Entwined Community has put together its 2011 Editorial Calendar and is looking for you!

In 2011, Entwined Community will bring readers interesting stories on a variety of topics related to home, work and family. Visit our website to view the 2011 Editorial Calendar, which provides a general template of the subjects we will feature on a monthly basis. Entwined Community welcomes pitches based on any of the topics listed. Although the Editorial Calendar is listed as a general guide, please note that it is subject to change.

Twin/multiples families, bloggers, business owners, photographers and more are invited to contribute to Entwined Community articles, blog posts, press releases and more. Your quotes, guest posts, stories, photos and more will be featured on our media networks and help to showcase the wonderful world of multiple birth families.

Are you a twin hair stylist? Send us a pitch on winter beauty tips. Photographer and triplet mom? We would love to feature your credited photos in our stories. This is a great way for adult multiples or parents of multiples to share tips, knowledge, products and services with multiple birth family readers. If you are interested in submitting a pitch, or for additional information, contact media@entwinedcommunity.com.

Image from Brain Training 101.

Return to Sender....

The holiday frenzy is in full swing this week. Hope you are stress free and enjoying time with your family!

Business Question of the Week: Today is the busiest day of the year for the US Postal Service - with workers handling 800 million pieces of mail today, a 40% increase over the average daily mail. Whether you are mailing invoices, products or newsletters, most small businesses rely on mail services such as the post office, Fed Ex or UPS as an integral part of its services. What tips or tricks do you have for ensuring your business mail arrives on time and safely to its destination during this busy time of year?

General Question of the Week: Most of us have ordered from an online business before. When you received your package, did the business include any special notes or thank you gifts for shopping with them? Did this little "extra" make you more likely to shop with them again?

Remember for Entwined Community members, each comment that is posted on BigTent will give you one entry for a $25 gift certificate to Trends in Twos! This contest closes on December 31st at midnight PST and comments must be entered on BigTent to count as entries.

Image from the British Postal Museum and Archive

Twins, Triplets and Commercials

The countdown is on for the holidays! I hope everyone is keeping busy, and staying safe.

General Question of the Week: Twins and multiples are frequently seen in television commercials - check out this Ikea commercial from 2009 featuring identical twin girls. What is your favorite commercial featuring twins or multiples - add a link if you can find it.

Business Question of the Week: Have you created any commercials for your business? Since twins/multiples are so popular in commercials, would you consider using your twin or children (if you are a parent of multiples) in your commercial? Share a link to your commercial if you have one!

Remember for Entwined Community members, each comment that is posted on BigTent will give you one entry for a $25 gift certificate to Trends in Twos! This contest closes on December 31st at midnight PST and comments must be entered on BigTent to count as entries.

Snowed In

Let's jump right in with our questions of the week!

Business Question of the Week: Donald Trump, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey - they all approach business in a different way. If you could choose one business tycoon (alive or historical) to have lunch with - pick their brain - get some advice - who would it be?

General Question of the Week: My husband Anthony is from England and he shared this news article - a couple got trapped in a pub in the North of England for eight days due to a snowstorm. Twenty feet of snow drifted against the door and prevented anyone from leaving - luckily for them the pub was also a bed and breakfast so the couple and staff ate food, had drinks and tried to entertain themselves the best they could until they were rescued by a snow plow that cleared the road on Saturday. So, this week's question is - what would you do if you were trapped in a pub/bed and breakfast for eight days?

Remember for Entwined Community members, each comment that is posted on BigTent will give you one entry for a $25 gift certificate to Trends in Twos! This contest closes on December 31st at midnight PST and comments must be entered on BigTent to count as entries.

Photo credit (BBC News)

Five Gift Ideas for Twin/Multiples Entrepreneurs

With everyone busy thinking about gift shopping, have you put together your small business gift wishlist yet? Here are some ideas to get you started!

1. Facebook Advertising budget: With over 500 million on Facebook, a Facebook ad may be just what your small business needs to take it to the next level. In a few simple steps you can design your ad to reach your target demographic and choose whether you would like pay per click or per impression, budgeting as little as $1 per day. If you add this to your wishlist, ask family or friends to give you cash - although retailers such as Target and Walmart sell Facebook credits gift cards, currently these are for use with Facebook games only.
2. Gift card for office supply store: The need for office supplies is endless, whether you run a local cafe or an online Etsy store. A gift card to a local office supply store can go a long way towards keeping your small business running!
3. Software programs: If you have a small business, you need a website. Software programs such as Adobe's Dreamweaver and Photoshop can help you create professional websites and images. You may want to add a how-to book to your list, as these programs require some knowledge to operate.
4. Wireless desktop: In our digital age, no one wants to be tethered to a desk with a wire. Improve your desktop or tower/LCD television combo with a wireless keyboard and mouse.
5. Portable printer or scanner: If you regularly are on the go when doing business, a portable printer and/or scanner can help you stay on task. Portable printers/scanners are perfect if you attend trade or craft shows on a regular basis, or meet with clients at the local coffee shop and need to print invoices, receipts or more.

What is on your business wishlist?

Photo credits (Wired)

November Winner and December Giveaway!

We have a winner for our November Giveaway! Congrats to Helen R., winner of a $25 gift certificate to an Entwined Community business of her choice.

December's Giveaway is sponsored by our friend, twin mom Kellie at Trends in Twos! Kellie has donated a $25 gift certificate to Trends in Twos for an Entwined Community member to win. Trends in Twos is a proud Entwined Community business member and offers 10% off purchases with your Entwined Community member number.

Simply login to our BigTent community - each comment on our forums during the month of December is worth one entry to win. Not a member yet? Read here about our membership benefits - the first 100 businesses are still just $5 to join and the first 100 individuals are only $1. Read here for more fine print on giveaways.

Happy December from Entwined Community!

December is here! Although winter does not officially begin until December 21st, it seems that festive moods abound. Whether Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza or Winter Solstice, there are lots of ways to celebrate with food, family and friends this month. What holiday traditions do you share with your family? If you have young multiples, this may be the first of many new traditions to celebrate together. This month is also the birthday of D'Lila Star and Jessie James - the twin daughters of Sean Combs will turn 4 on December 21st.

December's Business of the Month is Thirty-One Gifts Independent Consultant Carey Welden. Carey is from Arkansas and starting selling Thirty One Gifts after she was so impressed with their products. Take a look at the matching adult and child aprons on page 6 of Thirty One Gift's Holiday Gift Guide - what a fun way to encourage kids to spend some time in the kitchen. Carey offers free embroidery for purchases over $50 to Entwined Community members, a great way to make the aprons an extra special gift.

This December is also special as her girls will turn three! Carey loves this time of year because she spends time with her family who live far away. She loves to catch up and play cards, a past time that she has enjoyed since high school - her granny has always been tough to beat! She also loves driving around and looking at all of the houses and stores with Christmas lights and decorations. She is eager to share this tradition with her girls as she thinks they will really get it. The girls already know about Jesus and Santa, and she looks forward to starting new traditions with her girls.

Our Member of the Month for December is Stefanie C. from the Las Vegas, NV area and mom to 23 month old boy/girl twins. Stefanie is a member of the East Las Vegas/Henderson Mothers of Multiples Club and enjoys spending time with her family.

Lots of exciting things happening around here, stay tuned for more information!

Photo credits (Julian Colton) Christmas lights

Taking Care of Business

Where did the weekend go? It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is over and it is back to the grind. Time to buckle down and get back to work - for many of you (both buyers and sellers!) this will be a very busy few weeks with the holiday shopping season in full swing!

Business Question of the Week: Desktop, laptop, smart phone, notebook computer - most of us are connected nearly all of the time. What technology do you find yourself working on? Do you use different things for different tasks - for example you use your laptop to update inventory but your iPhone to update Facebook while you are at the park with the twins?

General Question of the Week: What is your favorite twins, triplets or more inspired song? As a triplet mom, mine is "Three Little Birds, " by Bob Marley. What can be more appropriate for a mom of multiples - " don't worry, about a thing, 'cuz every little thing is gonna be alright!" Is yours "It Takes Two" by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston, "Double Vision" by Foreigner, or something else? Post a link to the song so we can all get moving on a Monday!

Remember for Entwined Community members, each comment that is posted on BigTent will give you one entry for a $25 gift card to an Entwined Community member business of your choice! This contest closes on November 30th at midnight PST - just a few days left to enter to win. Comments must be entered on BigTent to count as entries.

Photo credit: Geeky Gadgets

Today's the Day! Small Business Saturday and Twin/Multiples Owned Businesses

Today is the big day - Small Business Saturday! Read some tips for finding twin/multiples owned businesses on Small Business Saturday and throughout the holiday season here.

What twin/multiples owned businesses are you going to visit today? According to Civic Economics, $68 out of every $100 spent at local businesses stays in your local community - let's keep that money in the twin/multiples community!

Thanksgiving Week!

Happy Monday - today was busy, as I am sure will be an indication for the rest of this week! We'll dive right in with our two questions, one about business and one general question. Remember for Entwined Community members only, for each comment that you post on BigTent, you will be entered into a random drawing that month for a fun prize! Not a member yet? Read here about our membership benefits - the first 100 businesses are still just $5 to join and the first 100 individuals are only $1. The prize for November will be a $25 gift certificate to use at your choice of Entwined Community member businesses.

General Question: With Thanksgiving this week, it is easy to get carried away with planning events, trying to find the perfect recipes, etc. Thanksgiving and similar fall festivals originated to demonstrate gratitude for a bountiful harvest - although not many of us harvest these days, we all have a lot to be thankful for. What are you especially thankful for this year?

Business Question of the Week: I have shared with you the history behind Entwined Community - what inspired you to start your business?

Photo from Dr X's Free Association.

Support Twin/Multiples Owned Businesses on Small Business Saturday November 27th

Black Friday is arguably the busiest shopping day of the year, but this year, American Express is asking you to support small businesses on the first ever Small Business Saturday, November 27th. In a news conference at City Hall, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg encourages shoppers to "make it a point to visit local small businesses - it can really make an enormous difference for merchants trying to succeed".

Entwined Community, the web's first network dedicated to supporting businesses owned by twins or the parents of multiples, urges you to not only visit small businesses on this day, but seek out those businesses that are owned by multiple birth families. Visit the Entwined Community website for a growing directory of twin/multiples owned businesses. With over 138,000 sets of twins born in the United States each year, adult multiples and parents of multiples are in your community and may be the people behind your favorite local cafe, shoe store or childcare center - the next time you stop in, ask if they are a twin/multiples family. You've heard of "buy green" and "buy local" - on Small Business Saturday it is time to "buy multiples"! To encourage cardmembers, American Express will give a $25 statement credit to 100,000 users who register their card and use it on Small Business Saturday. Combine this with the discount that Entwined Community businesses offer to Entwined Community members, and you can save money while supporting twin/multiples businesses! For additional information on becoming an Entwined Community member, visit our website.

Some Questions and a Giveaway!

Happy Monday! We are starting off this week with a few new (and hopefully fun) activities! Each week, we will have two questions, one about business and one general question. The questions are posted on our Facebook, Twitter and BigTent accounts, so check them out!

As a special offer for Entwined Community members only, for each comment that you post on BigTent, you will be entered into a random drawing that month for a fun prize! Not a member yet? Read here about our membership benefits - the first 100 businesses are still just $5 to join and the first 100 individuals are only $1. The prize for November will be a $25 gift certificate to use at your choice of Entwined Community member businesses - a great way to start off (or finish up!) some holiday shopping. The fine print - Entwined Community members will receive one entry for each comment they post on BigTent per month. Comments entries are valid on any meaningful comments, not just questions of the week. Meaningful is defined as something that adds value to the conversation - not just posting single word comments that do not help the poster with their question. Winner will be randomly selected from all entries using random number generator software. Members can only win comments giveaway once every 90 days.

General Question: We were watching one of our favorite reality TV shows on Hulu the other day and one of the leads mentioned that he was the father of twin boys - I had no idea! This guy and his friends spend a lot of time in the dark hunting things - who is it? What are some of your favorite TV shows that star adult multiples or parents of multiples?

Business Question of the Week: One of the most difficult decisions I had early on with Entwined Community was coming up with a name. How did you come up with your business name? How long did it take you, what methods did you use to make sure your name was unique and did not infringe on other's trademarks, etc? If you are interested in starting a business and have a question about coming up with a name, share your questions and our community will try to help!

Photo from Flickr Free Use Photo Group: thanks rwhitesi37 for the photo, entitled Colors.

Double Blessings Celebrates 16 Years and a New Product!

Entwined Community member Double Blessings is celebrating 16 years in business! Double Blessings has provided nursing pillows and other products for twins since 1995. Twin mom and founder Sandy Clark launched a new product - the San Diego Bebe Twin Eco-Nursing Pillow - earlier this week at the All Baby & Child (ABC) Kid's Expo held in Las Vegas.

San Diego Bebe was designed after Clark witnessed a young mother unsuccessfully attempting to nurse her baby at a San Diego beach. The mother attempted to get some privacy by using a blanket but this was not working - the blanket was slipping, the baby was too hot and not getting milk while the mother struggled. Clark decided there had to be a better way, and set out to design a nursing pillow with a built-in mesh Privacy Cover, offering discretion while providing baby with continuous air. Clark says her "primary goal over the years has been to promote the womanly art of breastfeeding. Having privacy during the intimate, God-given act of nursing would further encourage this special bonding time between a mother and her child." San Diego Bebe is also designed green - made of 100% virgin polyfiber that is hypo-allergenic, non-toxic, non-flammable, and recyclable. San Diego Bebe offers both singleton and twin nursing options - order yours today!

Double Blessings is a proud Entwined Community member, and offers a free "TWINS ON BOARD" magnet with your order or $60; buy a onesie, get one free plus a free 60-minute nursery CD with your onesies purchase.

Congrats to Entwined Community member Gemini Greetings - Winner in StartupNation's Top 200 Leading Moms in Business

Congrats to Angelice Tyson, the twin mom behind Gemini Greetings! Angelice is being honored in StartupNation's Top 200 Leading Moms in Business for 2010, coming in at number 171! Businesses are ranked by the combination of popular vote and the special recognition of our judges for certain outstanding contestants.

Necessity is often the mother of invention, and Angelice's story is no different. She was frustrated that she could not find greeting cards to or from twins, triplets or more. Thinking that she was onto something, Gemini Greetings was created! Angelice must be on the right track as this is the second year in a row that her company has been awarded a Top 200 Leading Moms in Business distinction! Congrats to Angelice on this honor!

Gemini Greetings is a proud Entwined Community member and offers a free card with your purchase of $10 or more.

TWINdustry of the Week - Restaurant/Food

This week's TWINdustry of the week - restaurant/food related businesses! Everyone loves going out to eat, and what a better to connect with local twin/multiples families then at a meal. The next time you go out to dinner with the kids or for date night, find one that is owned by a twin/multiples family! Connect with entwined community members on BigTent and discuss how they got started with their restaurant or food related business. Don't forget we will close each week on Friday with a guest post by an Entwined Community business member in the TWINdustry of the week.

An additional bonus for businesses is savings on signups when your industry is selected as the TWINdustry of the week. This week, from October 11th to 17th, restaurant or food related businesses that are owned by twins/multiples or the parents of multiples can join as a business member of Entwined Community for just $5 - part of our introductory special offer that is open to all businesses!

I love to cook. I have to admit it was very difficult when the babies were very young to find the time (or energy) to cook. We were very fortunate to have friends and family who knew we were overwhelmed and they sent gift certificates for local restaurants in our area that delivered so we could order food and have one less thing to worry about. Check the directory to see if there are any restaurants in your local area - what a great gift for a new mother of multiples - a gift certificate to a twin/multiples owned restaurant -or a gift membership to Entwined Community! If there are not any restaurant/food businesses near you - your challenge this week is to reach out to foodie businesses in your local area who are twin/multiples or the parents of multiples and ask them to join our growing community!

Save the Date - Nov 7th Entwined Community Quarterly Business Mixer: Southern California

Save the date - join Entwined Community on Sunday, November 7th from 10a-1p for our first Quarterly Business Mixer at the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. Admission to the event is free and you can RSVP on our Facebook page.

Stop by to meet fellow Entwined Community members and hear more about the products and services that they offer! Just started your business or looking to take it to the next level? Chat with experts in blogging, Etsy, photography and more on how to keep your business lucrative and moving forward. Appointments will be available for one-on-one consultations. If you are a twin/multiples business owner and interested in offering one-on-one mentoring sessions at the event on a variety of topics, contact us now.

If you are an Entwined Community business member and interested in FREE table space at this event, please contact us at info@entwinedcommunity.com - limited vendor table space will be available on a first come, first served basis. Business mixers will be scheduled on a quarterly basis in a variety of locations - upcoming destinations are Las Vegas (Winter 2011) - contact us for additional information on these upcoming events.

TWINdustry Guest Post - Education/Classes

This week we will not have a guest post - unfortunately we were not able to make it happen before our deadline of today! Stay tuned and we will run this topic again in the future - if you know of a twin or parent of multiples who teaches classes in their community or online, please have them contact us at info@entwinedcommunity.com .

TWINdustry of the Week - Education/Classes

This week's TWINdustry of the week - education/classes. As a part time instructor at my local university, I too love sharing things that I am passionate about. If you are considering taking a class in your community, find one that is taught by a twin or multiple! Connect with entwined community members on BigTent and discuss how they got started with their teaching career. Don't forget we will close each week on Friday with a guest post by an Entwined Community business member in the TWINdustry of the week.

An additional bonus for businesses is savings on signups when your industry is selected as the TWINdustry of the week. This week, from October 4th to 10th, educators who are twins/multiples or the parents of multiples can join as a business member of Entwined Community for just $5 - part of our introductory special offer that is open to all businesses!

Learning is a lifelong love of mine, and as my children get older, I can't wait to see where their interests will lie and what they will love to learn about. I hope that you will be able to connect with a twin/multiple educator in your area for your next educational pursuit. Check the directory to see what teachers are in your local area. Not any listed near you? Your challenge this week is to reach out to educators in your area who are twin/multiples or the parents of multiples and ask them to join our growing community!

Happy October from entwined community!

It is finally October! Here in Las Vegas it is still very hot - triple digits - but hopefully fall weather has found you! There are so many things to look forward to in October - pumpkins, fall foods, football and of course Halloween! I hope that you will create some wonderful memories with your family over the weeks ahead. A very special set of twins celebrate their 2nd birthday on October 7th - Harper and Finley, the fraternal twin daughters of Lisa Marie Presley and granddaughters of Elvis Presley.


Each month we highlight a business and member of the month on our website. This month we are highlighting member business Rebecca Novotny Designs. Rebecca is originally from Pennsylvania and lives in Florida. She designs beautiful jewelry pieces out of her home studio. Take a look at these beautiful Pumpkin Orange Faceted Quartz and Carnelian Cluster Dangle Earrings - they would make a great addition to an outfit inspired by the fall color palette. Rebecca offers 10% off for entwined community members. Rebecca is excited to support entwined community member businesses - she is already a member of Twiniversity and looks forward to using her member discount Robyn's Nest Boutique and Trends in Twos.

October is also a special month in the Novotny household - her boys will turn 1 this year! She is busy planning a pilot-themed party for the boys in honor of their dad, who is in the Air Force. Look at this cute picture of them trying on their Halloween costumes! The whole family looks forward to their first trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving together.

Our Member of the Month for October is Lana D! Lana lives near the Tulsa, OK area and is the mom of adorable 3 1/2 year old identical girls. She is currently pregnant with her second set of twins - check out that cute babies bump! Lana is the President of the Northwest Arkansas Mothers of Multiples Club.

Lana and her family love to celebrate Fall - she stretches out the decorations from early October to Thanksgiving! This also saves time since she doesn't have to switch out Halloween with Thanksgiving decorations. Her family makes a trip to the pumpkin patch each October and pick out some pumpkins for the porch and now that her girls are older, she'll get some smaller ones for them to color and paint. She also loves to get outside and go hiking/camping with the girls as often as possible this time of year.

TWINdustry Guest Post: Jewelry

Each Friday, we highlight an entwined community member who works in the TWINdustry of the Week. This week's post is by Rebecca Novotny, twin mom and the entrepreneur behind Rebecca Novotny Designs.

If you would have told me five years ago, that this is where I would be today; I would never have believed you. Five years ago I was graduating college, searching for a teaching job, and planning to marry my best friend. I did marry my best friend, and I did land my first job teaching elementary school art…but three years ago we made a decision that changed our lives forever: my husband resigned from his teaching job to join the US Air Force, and I agreed to leave my job to travel with him.

We moved three thousand miles from home, and I started working for a local tutoring center. About a year later, my husband and I received huge, exciting news…we were pregnant! With TWINS! I stayed at work until August, moved across the country again, and then got put on ‘modified bed rest’. I have always been an active person, and bed rest was terrible for me, but important for my babies. My creativity started to run wild. Scrap booking, photography, and LOTS of jewelry! Due to tight finances, I started giving out handmade jewelry as gifts. I started receiving requests to make jewelry for bridal parties, family jewelry, and earrings to match dresses for special occasions. Everyone seemed to love it, and I loved making it!

My goal for Rebecca Novotny Designs on Etsy is to create enough income that I can continue to stay home with my boys. My priority first and foremost, is my family. My husband I both believe in the importance of spending time quality time with our children. It is extra important for one of us to always be here, when the other one is sometimes forced to spend a lot of time away. The great thing about having your own business is the flexibility of being able to work around the hectic schedule of a family with multiples. I create new jewelry and work on orders during nap times and after bedtime. When we get moved to new duty stations, my business can move with me. It allows me to spend every moment that I can with my babies, and still have something to do for myself. The additional income makes me feel like I am doing something proactive to help my family as well. Rebecca Novotny Designs is a proud entwined community member business and offers 10% off orders for entwined community members - be sure to find me on Facebook too!

Rebecca Novotny has identical twin boys and designs jewelry for Rebecca Novotny Designs. Contact her at rebeccanovotny@hotmail.com .

TWINdustry of the Week - Jewelry

This week's TWINdustry of the week - jewelry! We were shopping over the weekend and saw lots of stores with Christmas decorations out already - I guess it is never too early to start thinking about holiday shopping! If you have a special person on your holiday list - why not find a twin/multiples owned jewelry store or designer to find that perfect piece of jewelry. Connect with entwined community members on BigTent and discuss how they got started with their jewelry design business, how they select materials to work with, and more. Don't forget we will close each week on Friday with a guest post by an entwined community business member in the TWINdustry of the week.

An additional bonus for businesses is savings on signups when your industry is selected as the TWINdustry of the week. This week, from September 27th to October 3rd, jewelry business owners or designers who are twins/multiples or the parents of multiples can join as a business member of entwined community for just $5 - part of our introductory special offer that is open to all businesses!

I love accessorizing with jewelry - it is amazing how different an outfit can look when you add a pair of colorful earrings or a necklace. I tend to wear dark colors frequently, so jewelry gives it that pop! If you are looking for jewelry for yourself or for a gift, please support a fellow multiples family by using an entwined community business member. Check the directory to see what jewelry stores are in your local area. Not any listed near you? Your challenge this week is to reach out to fitness experts in your local area who are twin/multiples or the parents of multiples and ask them to join our growing community!

TWINdustry Guest Post Friday: Fitness

Each Friday, we highlight an entwined community member who works in the TWINdustry of the Week. This week's post is by Anastasiya Goers, twin mom and blogger at Balance in Me.

Giving birth to a child is a wonderful and amazing blessing for any woman. I was always amazed at how much women’s bodies go through during the pregnancy. I think women’s bodies deserve to have a special memorial in each and every city. This memorial must be double, triple or even octuple size for the moms of multiples.

After pregnancy, fitness does not always seem like the first priority after getting home with your little ones. Soon after I got home with my twins I felt like I had been run over by a train: sleepless nights, constant feeding and endless dirty diapers. I was lucky enough to deliver my girls naturally but a lot of women have to go through a C-section when delivering multiples or they spend time on bedrest prior to delivering. Multiple pregnancies have a lot of complications and pitfalls, and it does not get any easier after the babies are born. However, I am not trying to create a gloomy picture in front of you.

I must say that there were two factors that helped me tremendously to survive the pregnancy and the first year: my supportive husband and fitness. I was a fitness instructor for 6 years before I got pregnant and of course I was teaching through the entire pregnancy (my last class was 2 weeks before the girls were born but I would have exercised even longer if my doctor allowed me too.) About a month after the babies were born I felt that I needed some “me” time (something that any mom needs at a certain point.) I resumed teaching at a local gym and this brought me all the energy that I needed to take care of the little ones.

It is not always easy to be a fitness instructor when you are a mom, especially a mom of twins. There are times when you have no energy to go to class. There are times when it breaks your heart when you have to leave your sick child at home with their father. There are times when you are worried sick about your kids when you are teaching a class.

After my girls were born I started writing a blog about life balance – Balance In Me. Balanced living has always been something I was striving for but after the birth of my girls I felt a desperate desire for more balance in my life. The blog gave me an opportunity to vent a little bit and to share my experience and my frustrations. I can’t say that it was a success right away but slowly I climbed my way to the first 100 subscribers. After that I put a little more effort and got to 500. Then I redesigned my blog, wrote a few guest posts, found my voice and – voila – now I have a blog with over 2500 loyal followers (and still growing.)

Just lately I realized that it was time to combine two of my passions in life: blogging and fitness. Right now I am working on creating an online course on how anyone can turn their lifestyle from sedentary into active. Why do I believe in this course? As a mom of twins I know how difficult it is for moms to find time for themselves. Going to the gym seems like a luxury that a mom cannot afford. Working out with a DVD usually seems boring and most people do not have enough motivation to go on.

Now imagine that you have an online gym where you can talk to other women (in a live web chat or in the forum), you can visit a live online class or watch a recording. You learn how to make your lifestyle more active without doing any conventional exercises. You learn how to stick to your healthy lifestyle while having fun with your family. You learn how to find the time and motivation to go on. And on the days when you do not have enough motivation to work out, you get an email that reminds you why you want to do this and how great you will feel afterwards. This program is much more beneficial in my opinion than going to the gym. Why? Because once you learn to live actively no matter where you are and how much time you have, then you will always have a gym right with you.

I am getting ready to launch my online fitness program in the nearest future. As soon as it is up and running, all moms in the entwined community will get a 10% discount on this course - I look forward to working with you! In the meantime, grab a newsletter subscription to my blog (and download your free copy of Book of Wisdom: 50 ideas for the all-around balanced life) to make sure that you do not miss the launch day - the program will be limited to 50 members to create a warm and supportive community of friends.

I still teach Pilates classes at a local studio and I am planning to teach a few fitness-for-moms classes at my church. No matter how much I enjoy these classes and live communication I also understand how many more people I can help by focusing on this online project. But what is even more important, by working online I get to spend more time with my precious girls who deserve my attention and give something to others who need something new in their lives.

Anastasiya Goers has identical twin girls and runs a blog BalanceInMe. Contact her at anastasiya@balanceinme.com .

TWINdustry of the Week - Fitness

First off, I apologize for not getting this posted yesterday. Things are busy - which is good! If you have not checked the directory lately, we have posted quite a few new businesses, so head over and take a look!

This week's TWINdustry of the week - fitness! I think everyone wishes they were a bit more in shape - why not find a local twin/multiple to help you reach your goals! Connect with entwined community members on BigTent and discuss how they got started with their fitness business, how to set goals for yourself, and more. Don't forget we will close each week on Friday with a guest post by an entwined community business member in the TWINdustry of the week.

An additional bonus for businesses is savings on signups when your industry is selected as the TWINdustry of the week. This week, from September 20th to 26th, fitness business owners or independent consultants who are twins/multiples or the parents of multiples can join as a business member of entwined community for just $17.50 - half off the regular business price. Send an email to businessmembership@entwinedcommunity.com for more information.

I did not lose any baby weight the first year after the triplets were born, in fact, it wasn't until they started walking (and I started chasing!) that I got back within 5-10 pounds of my pre-pregnancy weight. If I had hired a personal trainer or attended fitness sessions, I may have gotten back in shape sooner. If you are looking for a fitness expert to help you shed some baby weight, or just get in shape in general, please support a fellow multiples family by using an entwined community business member. Check the directory to see what fitness experts are in your local area. Not any listed near you? Your challenge this week is to reach out to fitness experts in your local area who are twin/multiples or the parents of multiples and ask them to join our growing community!

TWINdustry Guest Post Friday: Graphic Design

Each Friday, we highlight an entwined community member who works in the TWINdustry of the Week. This week's post is by Julia Satovsky, twin mom and owner of J4 Design in the San Francisco area.

Many pregnant women face a question of whether to continue working after giving birth or to become a stay-at-home mom. Some also consider working from home, working part-time, or starting their own business. For me working from home or part-time was not an option, and I really didn’t like the idea of going back to work and leaving preemie twins at home with a nanny. Living in San Francisco on one salary is not easy! So my husband suggested that I start my own business. Working for myself was something that I’ve never done before, and never even considered. However, I was open to the idea, and after much thought and contemplation, I quit my job, and went to the City Hall to get a business license.

Coming up with a business name was almost as hard as coming up with names for the twins. It was especially hard because I was not 100% exactly what I was going to be doing. I knew that I was good at arts, crafts, computers, design, and marketing, so I wanted the name to be vague enough to cover any direction in which my business might take off. “J4 Design” was the final choice and it reflects both my skills and my family. There are four people in my family and all of our names start with a letter “J” - the word “design” covers any kind of creative services that might be required - so J4 Design was the winner!

Since the inception of J4 Design, 80% of my work was obtained through “word of mouth” or some kind of personal connection. I designed a business card and put together a website for myself, and started passing out cards to all my friends and other parents that met at playgrounds, playgroups, kids classes, etc. My husband also talks to all of his clients about my business. I have also advertised in local parents groups newsletters and the local parents of multiples club – San Francisco Parents of Multiples.

I started helping people with custom holiday cards, websites, photo correction and photo manipulation, business cards, slideshows, magazine ads, stickers and brochures. I have edited videos, designed wine labels, and even painted clothing, furniture and murals in kids rooms. I try not turn down any project. I’ve been asked many times “Can you do ....?” and 99.9% of the time the answer is “Yes!” Being resourceful and flexible has been a big part of me trying to get more work. My favorite project so far was a present for a friend’s husband’s 50th birthday. She sent me a bunch of photos of him and paired him up with famous people, making it look like he was really there. She printed out those images, framed them, and put them all around her house. He was very surprised and it was unique and really fun for everybody!

I love the flexibility of working for myself, not having to rush off to the office in the morning, not having to fill out vacation request forms, and being able to be with my kids, take them to classes and playgroups, and pick them up after school. There is a downside to almost anything. I am responsible with tracking my own time, invoicing and billing people, and of course doing all of the accounts receivables and accounts payables. Taxes are also a lot more complicated when you run your own business, as you often need to track your phone calls and car mileage for example, to receive appropriate deductions. However, overall there are a lot more positive sides to having your own business and I strongly encourage everybody to consider starting their own business whenever possible. entwined community creates a great way for parents of multiples to have an instant client base with people who are interested in their services. J4 Design is a proud entwined community member business and offers 10% off services for entwined community members!

Julia Satovsky has identical twin girls and owns J4 Design in San Francisco, CA. Contact her at
julia@j4design.com .

TWINdustry of the Week - Art/Graphic Design

This week's TWINdustry of the week - art/graphic design! There are so many creative families out there - connect with entwined community members on BigTent and discuss how they got started with their design business, how to face creative blocks, and more. Don't forget we will close each week on Friday with a guest post by an entwined community business member in the TWINdustry of the week.

An additional bonus for businesses is savings on signups when your industry is selected as the TWINdustry of the week. This week, from September 13th to 19th, art/graphic design business owners who are twins/multiples or the parents of multiples can join as a business member of entwined community for just $17.50 - half off the regular business price. Send an email to businessmembership@entwinedcommunity.com for more information.

If you have a business or a mothers of multiples club, do you have a professional logo? When I was setting up entwined community, I knew I needed a professional logo, advertisements and other items to appropriately brand my business. I specifically sought out a twin/multiples graphic designer to help get entwined community started off right! Julia Satovsky of J4 Design created the logo and button ads for entwined community. She did a great job and created a beautiful design that I never could have done on my own! Check back Friday for a guest post by Julia as she discusses more about her business.

If you are looking for a graphic designer for a logo or other needs, please support a fellow multiples family by using an entwined community business member. Check the directory to see what graphic designers are in your local area. Not any listed near you? Your challenge this week is to reach out to designers in your local area who are twin/multiples or the parents of multiples and ask them to join our growing community!

TWINdustry Guest Post Friday: Photography

Each Friday, we highlight an entwined community member who works in the TWINdustry of the Week. This week's post is by Denise Slater, triplet mom and owner of Denise Slater Photography and For You By Dee in the Medina/North Jackson, Tennessee area.

It's that time again, back to school! How many of us are already in the frenzy of packing lunches, making sure homework is done, clothes washed and ready, backpacks packed, supplies all purchased. Then it's time for the first day. Did you cry? Laugh? Feel a sense of relief? Wait by the door until they got home?

I'm Denise, a mom to triplet boys. They are 4 1/2 and I started my boys in a pre-school program this year. WOW there is a lot of things to purchase, set out and remember! They only go twice a week for 4 hours and it's seems to be a lot to keep up with. I can't imagine what it will be like when they are in full time school.

Their first day of school made me ponder on the question "Where has the time gone?". NICU until their 1st birthday seems like such a blur. Bottles, burping, naps, spit up, sleepless nights, solid feedings, crawling, walking. Then their toddler years of learning their boundaries, new words, and new milestones. As a mom, I tried my hardest to capture those memories. I have been successful for some of those times! I know the regret I feel when I realized I missed capturing other moments. I am passionate about capturing memories, and want to share that with others.

I started using my point and shoot camera - I'd keep it in the diaper bag and bring it out at every chance I could. Digital pictures make is SO MUCH easier now! You can take 100 pictures and only keep the ones you want. I then started playing with the photos a bit more. One might not be centered correctly, or another had a huge garbage can in the back. I used to just discard those. However, some photos would just stand out to me. I'd love the twinkle in an eye, or that special smile that is not posed. The next step was to start editing. Turning a picture into black and white, or cropping into a face super close can just change the entire look of a photo. Now, most computers come loaded with a photo editing program for basic editing or you can use an online resource such as Picnik. For free you can edit five pictures at a time and play with their basic settings. Cropping, color adjusting, collages. If you find yourself using it more, then you can subscribe to their premium services.

When my boys turned 1, we had moved away from any family and friends for my husband to work on his PhD. As a student's family, you learn to be creative with your money for gifts! I started working with my photos and putting them on products. I'd wait for a sale or a deal on these products, then I would personalize gifts for family and friends. I would make a collage of photos with a saying on it and have it made into a purse for my mother. For my bed ridden grandmother, I made a photo collage of her great-grandchildren on a pillow case. My friend that loves to bake received an apron with a photo creation I made on the front. With each project I expanded my photographing and editing skills, along with my passion for creating gifts!

From that came my first national business, For You By Dee which creates ANY types of personalized products for your multiples! I started creating my own invitations, greeting cards, purses, posters, and gifts when I could not find that "perfect" product. If you think it's hard to find something for twins, it's even harder for triplets or more! For You By Dee helps you create the perfect personalized gifts - just tell me what you want, send me your photos and I can make it for you to fit any sized product you want!

The next natural order of progression has been in my heart for years. It's my local Jackson, TN business Denise Slater Photography. It has been a fun process to help other families capture their moments and memories - in the midst of chaos. I love helping parents enjoy a relaxed process of photographs. I make it pain free, and it even makes the dad's relax! Once my boys are off to school full time, I plan on contacting the local NICUs to discuss working with them to offer free photo services for families. Having spent 25 days in there with my boys, my heart goes out to those families that never leave with their angels. My dream is to one day have a non profit organization that will allow me to capture moments in the NICU of these families and gift them with the photos, a book, and prints.

Thanks to entwined community for supporting all our businesses ran by families of multiples! Join entwined community today to receive a free print (8x10 or smaller) from Denise Slater Photography and 20% personalized products from For You By Dee.

Denise Slater is a triplet mom and entrepreneur in Medina, Tennessee. Contact her at
denise_m_slater@yahoo.com .

TWINdustry of the Week 09/06 - Photography

Welcome back from a long weekend! This is the start of fall in many parts of the country - it is still pretty hot here in Las Vegas so still feels like summer here. Our giveaway with My Central New York Mommy ends today - can't wait to see who the winners are! Didn't win? Don't worry - during the month of September you can visit TwinParenthood's site and enter the Colossal Gift Basket Giveaway, which includes an entwined community membership! Also appropriate with our TWINdustry of the Week - enter a pic of your twins in the September TwoCute Photo Contest over at Twin Pregnancy and Beyond for another chance to win an entwined community membership.

This week's TWINdustry of the week - photography! Many of us turn into amateur shutterbugs when we have our multiples - connect with entwined community members on BigTent and discuss how they got started with their photography business, how to find clients, and more. Don't forget we will close each week on Friday with a guest post by an entwined community business member in the TWINdustry of the week.

An additional bonus for businesses is savings on signups when your industry is selected as the TWINdustry of the week. This week, from September 6th to 12th, photography business owners who are twins/multiples or the parents of multiples can join as a business member of entwined community for just $17.50 - half off the regular business price. Send an email to businessmembership@entwinedcommunity.com for more information.

One thing I really regret is STILL not having any professional photos of the triplets done. They are 2.5 now! When they were babies we were just exhausted all of the time and I thought we could never handle all three babies at a photo shoot. Definitely something I would tell new moms not to miss out on! If you are looking for a photographer for family photos, or maybe need some new photos for your business, please support a fellow multiples family by using an entwined community business member. Check the directory to see what photographers are in your local area. Not any listed near you? Your challenge this week is to reach out to photographers in your local area who are twin/multiples or the parents of multiples and ask them to join our growing community!

TWINdustry Guest Post Friday: Crafts/Etsy

Each Friday, we highlight an entwined community member who works in the TWINdustry of the Week. This week's post is by Kelly Heslip, twin mom and owner of Kelly's Paper Creations in the Bryan/College Station, Texas area.

I am a mother of twins and a singleton. We were blessed with boy/girl twins just over three and a half years ago. Of course, this was out of the blue for us even though twins run on my mother's side of the family. There is no pattern, such as skipping a generation, so totally random! What makes our twins unique is that they are the first set of boy/girl multiples in the family. Then we were blessed 2 years and 6 days after the twins were born with another beautiful daughter.

My husband and I decided that I would stay at home when the twins were born. I did, however, work part-time for a year and a half for my previous company, but since then, I have truly been a stay-at-home-mom. I sold Stampin' Up! products on the side, and one day, a friend had asked me to help her make invitations. It was a lot of fun, so I began to think about starting my own scrapbooking/invitation making business.

The first thing I did was create a website for Kelly's Paper Creations and registered it with the top search engines. Then I made business cards and started handing out to friends. For the first year, I think I completed two projects: one ready-made scrapbook to insert pictures into and some Valentine cards for a college student (we live near Texas A&M University). Then I hit a period of nothingness.

The local scrapbook store closed down due to the family leaving, so that opened a whole new opportunity for me. Although, most calls I get are asking when my hours are and if I carry certain supplies, I have had more orders for scrapbooking services and invitations. This year, I started making bag tags due to the need for identification for my own children's backpacks and lunch kits for mother's day out. I set up an e-store for custom orders for bag tags and a new line of birthday invitations, thank yous and party favor bag tags.

New services that will be revealed in the next few weeks will be customized scrapbook calendars and scrapbooking parties. The parties will be for ages 6+ with themes to choose from such as princess, diva, rock-n-roll, butterfly, and more. Each guest/participant will be given supplies to make up to a 12x12 sized scrapbook page (they will need to bring 4-5 pictures). Then the pages will be mounted on heavy duty material (such as chipboard), eyelets/gromets punched and ribbon added to make it a hanging creation for their room or to give as a gift. Kelly's Paper Creations can be found on Facebook for the latest updates.

I am very honored to be featured at entwined community, to link up with other mothers of multiples and multiples themselves! For members, Kelly's Paper Creations is offering 10% off scrapbook and invitation services and $1 off bag tags.

Kelly Heslip is the owner of Kelly's Paper Creations in the Bryan/College Station, Texas area. Contact her at kellyspaper@gmail.com .

Looking for Newsletter Contributors!

The entwined community newsletter is a monthly publication with articles and advice from entwined community members and member businesses on starting a business, working from home with multiples and more. The newsletter will kick off with its initial issue in October and we are looking for contributors! Submitting an article is a great way to get exposure for your blog or company. Newsletter sections include:

Getting Started: Thinking about working for yourself? Hear from those that have “been there, done that” with their advice on getting started.

From the Home: Many multiple birth families work from home out of necessity (do you know what daycare for quadruplets costs???) or the desire to spend more time with their families. Read articles and tips from other multiples families that work from home.

In the World: Are people are generally shocked when they hear you work full time and have triplets at home? Working moms and dads of multiples or adult multiples themselves share advice on making it work in this section.

Giving Back: Work in the nonprofit industry? Read the Giving Back section to learn about charities and nonprofits founded or operated by multiples.

Teamwork: One thing that multiples know is that you can get a lot more done when you work together. Read news and inspiration from multiples and the multiples businesses they have connected with to get things done in their community.

In every issue, you’ll find helpful information such as reader feedback, multiples blog roundup, forum recap, don’t miss books, timesaving tips and more!

The entwined community newsletter wants to hear from you - if you are a twin, triplet or more or the parent of multiples, and you have an idea for an article in any of the above categories, please contact us at newsletter@entwinedcommunity.com . Remember to sign up for the newsletter here.

TWINdustry of the Week 08/30 - Crafts/Etsy

Welcome to our new members! Our giveaway with Double Up Books ended yesterday and we are in the process of contacting winners and getting them signed up with memberships. Didn't win? Don't worry - we have launched a new giveaway today on My CNY Mommy! Andrea, a twin mom, blogs about freebies, specials and deals in the Central New York area. Check out Andrea's blog for a chance to win one of 4 memberships (two business and two individuals), the giveaway ends on Monday, September 6th.

Today we are kicking off our new TWINdustry of the week - crafts/Etsy! So many of us are creative and may have considered starting a crafts business. Reach out to other members of entwined community on BigTent and discuss how to start a crafts business, where to find clients and more. Don't forget we will close each week on Friday with a guest post by an entwined community business member in the TWINdustry of the week.

An additional bonus for businesses is savings on signups when your industry is selected as the TWINdustry of the week. This week, from August 30 to August September 5th, crafts/Etsy business owners who are twins/multiples or the parents of multiples can join as a business member of entwined community for just $17.50 - half off the regular business price. Send an email to businessmembership@entwinedcommunity.com for more information.

I hate to say it but the holidays will be here before we know it! If you are starting any gift shopping, please support a fellow multiples family by using an entwined community business member. Check the directory to see what crafts/Etsy style businesses are in your local area or online. If there are not any listed, your challenge this week is to reach out to crafters in your community who are twin/multiples or the parents of multiples and ask them to join our growing community!